Testing Guidelines

[Guest DeeDee]

I'm testing 4630, (mostly jelly jars, but a few wider containers) and I need some help figuring out what criteria to look for when I'm choosing my wicks. I did a search, but the terms are used in so many posts that I couldn't find anything to help me. If there is already something that gives some testing pointers, please point me in the right direction. If not- here are some of my questions:

How long should it take to achieve a full melt pool?

How deep should a melt pool be?

What is a "good flame"?

Is some hang-up on the sides OK, if it melts away later? Or is it just a personal preference?

I've been testing different kinds of wicks, some with marathon burns and some for just an hour or two at a time. I've been documenting everything I do and see, but I still don't know exactly what I'm aiming for. If anyone could give me some advice, I would be very appreciative.

Thanks!

[tangerine]

How long should it take to achieve a full melt pool?

Take the inner diameter of your container in inches. That will be the number of hours it should take for you to get a full melt pool.

How deep should a melt pool be?

1/4 to 1/2 inch deep

What is a "good flame"?

Steady (not flickering), good height in relation to wick size

Is some hang-up on the sides OK, if it melts away later? Or is it just a personal preference?

This is a matter of personal preference. The glass I use has an inner diameter of about 2 1/2 inches. After 2 1/2 hours on the initial burn, I look for a melt pool of about 1/4 inch. A little hang up on one side is acceptable to me because I find that it tends to melt down with subsequent burns, even more so if you do power burns. I have tried wicking such that there would be no hang up from the first burn, but I find that when it gets down to the bottom third, the glass gets TOO hot.